Our counterpart organization Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo is currently working in partnership with the community of Tajamar on a deep water well project:


Tajamar is located on a primary road connecting to the nearby larger town of Punata. The photos below show the existing water tower tank that will receive the additional water made possible by the well.


The Tajamar well is at a final depth of 72 meters (236 feet). The next steps are to widen the bore to 12.5 inches; once we are confident of the bore and water availability, we will install 12 casing pipes. Many of these pipes will have filtering slots (staff will cut into the pipe) to allow water to come inside the casing. Once the casing is installed, the outside of the pipe and the bore opening will be filled with pre-washed and pre-selected rock to serve as additional filtration and water storage. With Mano a Mano’s drilling machine, staff will cleanse the wellbore to make sure that all bentonite and any sludge is removed/pumped out. Once the pump and water pipe is installed, we will measure the water flow rate and have it tested for human consumption. 


Pistoneo

The video shows the “pistoneo” work on the Tajamar water well project: a process where they use compressed air to flush out sludge, made up of bentonite, clay, and any other loose material in the bore of the well. This is a time-intensive process which runs until the water cleans up, which is typically days of pumping. Mano a Mano’s engineer notes that the well is producing 4-5 liters of water per second.


Mano a Mano Nuevo Mundo Staff & Heavy Equipment Onsite at Tajamar


Learn More About Mano a Mano Water Projects